In today’s Ever Faithful365 day devotional by David Jeremiah, he asked his readers, “Have you heard about the man who smelled good no matter where he was or what he was doing?”
His skin and clothing and very being seemed to exude a pleasant fragrance. He worked in a perfume factory and breathed its aromas every day.
The aromas filtered into his clothing, penetrated his skin, and even filled his lungs. He became a walking perfumery.
David Jeremiah said, “That’s the way we should be as Christians.”
The Bible says, “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:15
“We exude the aroma of joy, for in His presence is fullness of joy.” Psalm 16:11
You might have heard that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) is the shortest verse in the Bible, but that’s only true in English. In the original New Testament Greek, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 is shorter – “Rejoice always.” The two verses are related. Because Jesus wept, we can rejoice.
In today’s world with all the hate, divisiveness, floods, hurricanes, and wars it’s easy to get bogged down. But, David Jeremiah reminds us, “Jesus doesn’t want us to live in perpetual discouragement, sadness or doubt.”
“The joy of the Lord is the strength of our days,” Nehemiah 8:10
We have reason to rejoice. Count your blessings, my friends. Be a walking perfumery! Exude the aroma of joy. I pray that you will let the love, joy, and peace of Christ shine through your face and radiate from your clothing everyday! Let your fragrant scent invite others in to the love, joy and peace that can be theirs, too.
You are lovely. You are loved. You smell good! God bless you!
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.”
God’s dollop!
Looking out my dining room window, I see a strange sight. God put a dollop of whipped cream on the little peak we call “The Beehive.” I eagerly grab my camera and capture this unusual sight. It won’t last long. Soon the cloud went behind the mountain. But, the picture is a gift of happiness while it lasts.
Our skies had been gray and smokey for over two weeks as smoke from forest fires over 150 miles away blew into our Madison Valley. So, seeing the blue sky and a cute little cloud so perfectly placed was a rare treat!
Driving home from Bozeman after dropping our dear Daughter #2 off at the airport, we could see promising blue sky up ahead. The blue sky was peeking through at the airport, too. Laina had not seen it during her entire 10 day stay!!
That was smoke hovering above, but rain clouds in view. I eagerly awaited the storm to wash the smoke away. See how shrouded the mountains were and how dirty the air was?
Sure enough, the next morning, we could see the mountains clearly again!
Dear Lord, Thank you for the gift of clear air! I prayed eagerly for it. Thank you for answered prayers. God is good! Amen
The word of the day in Guideposts Daily Word is “Eager.” “I eagerly give myself to life,” is the by-line. “Eagerness helps give my life meaning. It is the feeling of positive anticipation, purpose, and confidence.”
I pray that you are bringing eagerness to all aspects of your life, too. The more energy and enthusiasm you share, the more you will have to share because it is part of your divine inheritance, a gift from God. Claim it!
This is an AI generated photo of a person feeling eager. And here is a photo of me feeling eager:
Eager to make a wish. Eager to blow out the candle. Eager to have my wish come true. It was for clear air and blue sky. God is good! My wish came true.
Now my blog is ready to update. I have a few questions for you:
What do you look like when you are eager? How are you living life eagerly? What wish do you have for a brighter future? I pray your wishes come true, too.
My muse has been asleep My muse has been absent I’ve been in a funk My muse just up and went
Ever since my pup died I can’t seem to get inspired In all the world’s turmoil I think my muse expired
But then I looked around To see how I am blessed I told my weary self that This is just a test
He’s my Muse!
Ah-hah! He never left me It was I who strayed away Return to Faith’s assurance And “Bee a Light” today!
I looked back at days gone by To a time when I felt fine And found a helpful poem I’m adopting today as mine.
It was inspired by His Word I read the Bible every day Now I must remember to apply The Words God has to say!
2 Corinthians 4:6 a
For it is God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness…”
I Can Let My Light Shine (Written in December 2023)
In a world filled with war and hate I can shine a light of love from me In a world filled with animosity and division I can shine a light of unity
In a world filled with hopelessness and despair I can lift the lamp of hopefulness In a world filled with fear and worry I can shine the joy of faithfulness
I can “bee” a light in the darkness Because the love of Christ shines through The grim shadows of despair And that Light also is in you
As a wonderful God-created child You are part of a magnificent whole So let that Spirit buried in you Shine forth from your blessed soul
Your light shines from the Creator Just as mine sparkles brightly, too So fill this world with the light of love Let’s let love’s light shine from me and you!
Amen
My Muse is alive and well. God Bless You! Yours is, too!! Let it shine!!!
If you have followed my blog in the past, you know I used to post sermon notes every Sunday afternoon. I’ve not done that for a while. Today I decided, on a snowy May 23rd in SW Montana, that I have nothing better to do than to share with you my notes from last Sunday’s sermon… because with winter weather in late May, I need encouragement to “Keep Hope Alive”… and I thought maybe you could use a little encouragement, too. So here’s what Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds preached last Sunday (as filtered through my ears to my brain to you)…
Sunday’s sermon on hope was inspired (not by Jeremiah 29:11 which is one of my favorite scriptures) but by Romans 8:22-27.
Romans 8:22-27 New International Version
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
(Bold print added by me)
Paul wrote this a couple of decades After Christ descended and ascended. Paul addressed the anxiety of Those who questioned Christ’s return.
We who have the First Fruits of the Spirit Are saved by the HOPE of what we do not see. God, who searches our hearts, knows… God knows our every mood and emotion.
And with that scripture in mind, Mary Grace shared her sermon. Here are my notes:
KEEP HOPE ALIVE
Calvin Coolidge’s young son Passed away because of a toe infection. It was over 100 years ago – Before the discovery of penicillin.
Today we have the promise of A new vaccine to retrain cells Of a brain tumor to attack the tumor. The narrative of lives is being changed.
People who walked with Jesus Had interpreted Him as saying, “I’ll be right back…” But Jesus was taking too long!
Paul wrote to tell the early Christians, Who had been given the Holy Spirit, To be patient … and keep HOPE alive. Maybe Hope isn’t a whisper, but a shout!
Hope is more active than faith. It is a fighter and a screamer. The world is groaning, crying out in pain, And people who’ve been stepped on must also.
Don’t accept the pain life throws at you. Cry out in pain. Bark as a threatened dog. Hope is harder to lose than faith Because it is louder… and persistent.
We hope for things beyond our reality. Hope gives us the strength to wait – To be cheerleaders who, with discipline, Keep HOPE (through the Holy Spirit) alive.
Hope feels like pain, burns like passion When we see all the world’s injustices. But HOPE is alive and will not give up. Keep it alive in you. Expect its miracles!
I love this meme!
Keep hope alive! If you have time, go to YouTube and select one of the renditions of “It Took a Miracle”… and absorb those words. So profound! (For whatever reason, I couldn’t imbed that song here.) I love it…
It Took a Miracle
To hang on to HOPE in a fallen world may take a miracle… But that miracle is yours for the taking. Take HOPE And keep it alive! Amen?
That’s my granddaughter, Hope, with me… and her daughter, Sienna, my great-granddaughter, who will be 5 next month, and our last Boston Terrier, TazE. HOPE is alive and well in our family. How about yours?
We had fun with family last weekend. We celebrated our great-granddaughter, Charlotte’s first birthday with an outing to the Olive Garden in Bozeman, Montana.
What a cutiepie, huh?
Her brother, Xander (almost seven) and her sister, Sienna (4) received stuffed animals as special gifts from my friend, Ted. So kind of him! The kids loved ’em!!
Xander enjoyed sharing Charlotte’s new books with her.
The children’s mom (our granddaughter, Hope) and Pam (the kids’ paternal grandmother) made it possible for us all to be together. We’re so grateful!
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Oh my! What an important scripture, huh? The operative word is “provide.” There are many ways to do so… and having fun with them on special occasions is definitely one of them!
Tell me about fun you have had with family recently!
Fun to look back at Fun with Family!
I’m sending my Love to you today. I pray you have an opportunity today (or soon) to have FUN WITH FAMILY!
Sometimes life just gets too serious. When I feel like I need a break from that serious stuff, I tune in to FaceBook… but only the places there that bring me joy. Here is one of them… try it out! It’s a place for CRANKY OLD LADIES If clicking on that title didn’t take you there, try this link:
